Dr Davis Speaks

Dr. Wanda M. Davis is Professor Emeritus at S.U.N.Y Buffalo State. Dr. Davis has had a broad and extensive professional career. She has been successful in just about every level in both academic and student affairs. Her specialties include professional development, management and leadership, strategic finance, and campus culture and climate along with curriculum development, policy design and review. Her experience was gained through research and practical experience within a big ten university system, a distinguished small private campus, a historically Black University and at a mid-level metropolitan campus. Dr. Davis has also worked with and currently serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations. She is committed to providing creative and innovative solutions to challenging problems.

Dr. Davis is grateful to have had excellent mentors who challenged her to move through the ranks of the academy where she saw the system from the lens of a Resident Assistant and on through all the traditional components of student affairs to serve as an Associate Vice President of Student Affairs.  She designed, implemented, and received a patent for an educational program for acts motivated by intolerance. Moving on, she was highly sought after and recruited as an Assistant Professor with great promise advancing on with tenure to become a full Professor and Chair of the Higher Education Department at Buffalo State. Being called on to academic administration, her experience as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and later Associate Vice Provost of Academic Affairs expanded the fullness of her experience within the academy. Consequently, she is known for her interest in designing and implementing successful ideas with gentle care. She is focused and committed to quality, communication with excellence. 

Dr. Davis has worked and been successful in just about every level of higher education in both Academic and Student Affairs having performed considerable work in the areas of professional development, management, leadership and strategic finance. Dr. Davis has served as a consultant that intentionally designs initiatives in areas of specialty such as civility within the community or work environment, improving organizational culture and climate, curriculum development, policy design and review are among these subjects as well. Dr. Davis’ research and practical interests in fundraising, grantsmanship and board development rest in the following examples: As a Project Director for a year-long distinguished lecture series, she procured over $100,000.00 by obtaining a major grant from the New York Council of the Humanities. While at S.U.N.Y Buffalo State Dr. Davis established an Endowed Scholarship in the name of fallen American hero Robert A. Davis.  Among other things, Dr. Davis served in consultant roles for community projects such as Co-Chair of The Colored Musicians Club of Buffalo, NY’s Centennial Grand Gala where they collectively raised over $50,000.00, and most recently received a Citation from the State of Pennsylvania for the design and dedication of 5 one room schoolhouse historical markers in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Davis serves as a historical and educational consultant for the non-for-profit sector for the development and procurement of monies. Through environmental scanning for strategic alignment she also specializes in the development of curriculum and educational programs for organizational effectiveness.

In the area of creativity and innovation, during her tenure she has developed and delivered several resident and online courses and has served on several national editorial boards. Dr. Davis has additionally presented numerous papers and publications as well. She has served as a trustee and as an expert consultant to several national foundation boards. Dr. Davis has also conducted extensive international travel to further expand the depth and breathe of her research and informed professional practice. She is a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow at Harvard University – DuBois Institute.

She encourages others to share in the responsibility of developing, delivering, measuring and achieving essential learning outcomes. Dr. Davis employs the Socratic Method to help enable others to find meaning in what they learn. She believes that we should value human and cultural diversity and challenge each other to incorporate these values in everyday practice. Her style is both participatory and inclusive.  

She works diligently to spark creative, analytical thinking and to bolster and expand intellectual imagination and curiosity. Her overall goal is to equip individuals with the knowledge, intellectual and practical skills, and personal and social responsibility needed to further eradicate America’s unfinished business, “full engagement” of all citizens without prejudice. Her scholarship, research, teaching and practice attest to this commitment. 

Dr. Davis would be honored to present this idea for consideration and possible implementation to your organization. Working together to position individuals and institutions for the unique challenges and opportunities in the decades ahead, moving forward with a bold purpose.